A bold prediction for each Week 4 SEC game
After a couple of weeks of mostly one-sided games, we’re getting closer to the meat of the SEC schedule in Week 4 with 5 actual conference matchups. Time to get bold, with a bold prediction for each Week 4 SEC game.
Tua sets the Alabama passing record
Last week, Tua Tagovailoa was approaching Bama’s single-game career passing record (484 yards by Scott Hunter in 1969). This week, when a team that averages 382.3 passing yards per game meets a team that gives up 274.7 passing yards per game, you’ll get a lot of passing. Southern Miss likes to throw as well, which will probably get them a couple of scores and stop the clock enough that Tua might go all in on 500 passing yards. We’re predicting a record day.
Vandy hangs around for a half
The Vanderbilt offense could make LSU sweat a little, particularly given the defensive injuries and relative malaise that the Tigers have experienced in the past couple of weeks. Don’t misunderstand, the Tigers will win and might even cover the 24-point spread. But this is a game for a half and will give Coach O something to yell about.
Florida gets right on the ground
Florida’s offense has been very hit and miss through 3 games, but just when it’s looking ugly, here comes the UT defense to help Lamical Perine have a big game. Kyle Trask will be fine, but given UT’s defensive struggles, don’t be surprised if Perine breaks off about 125 yards and 2 scores, with Florida winning by 3 touchdowns.
Cal rallies late
No offense to the Rebels, but it’s not entirely clear why they are favored. Yes, the inherent distrust of West Coast football is as much a Southern thing as sweet tea, tailgating and Nashville hot chicken. Cal has defeated 1 allegedly good team by a point, and 2 pretty bad teams by unimpressive margins. Says here that the Rebels will jump out early and hold a 10-point lead at the break, but that Cal’s ground game will wear them down late. What? You didn’t expect that from a Cal/Ole Miss game, did you? Bears by a field goal in the final minute.
Mond takes over late
Auburn has led a charmed life since the legend of Bo Nix was born in Week 1. Meanwhile, A&M has had injuries and a predictable struggle with Clemson. But the real difference in these teams is the maturity of their leaders. Auburn will take an early lead, and they will blast a hole or two in the Aggies’ defense in the first half and go to the locker room up a touchdown. But playing at home, Kellen Mond is the gunslinger with the late-game answers, and Nix actually looks like (gasp) a freshman. Give us the Aggies by a score, with Mond passing for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Kentucky going with Bowden
Kentucky had a tough loss to Florida last week and now goes to Starkville, where the Wildcats last won in 2008. Kentucky has to do a better job of capitalizing on their offensive opportunities, and Lynn Bowden will have a key role on that front. Look for Bowden to break out with 100 yards between receiving and rushing totals (several Wildcat-formation runs in there), and also to deliver a big special teams play, which will be the difference in a hard-fought game. Kylin Hill will be outstanding for MSU, but special teams provide the difference.
Rountree has a big day
South Carolina will bring a potent offensive attack to Missouri. Frosh QB Ryan Hilinski will outpass Kelly Bryant, but the difference in this game is that Carolina’s run defense won’t be able to stop Larry Rountree in the second half. Rountree is good for 150 rushing yards and 2 scores, and Mizzou wins a 45-31 kind of game.
Trey Knox gets his
Arkansas should have an easy time with San Jose State, which is a good thing for freshman wide receiver Trey Knox. He has emerged as a key component in the offense in the past 2 weeks, and the Spartans will have nobody who can cover the 6-5 wideout. Look for Knox to nab his first career 100-yard game and a pair of touchdowns as Arkansas rolls.
Georgia runs for 400
Yes, against Notre Dame. The Irish allow 230.5 yards per game on the ground, and that was against Louisville and New Mexico. Meanwhile, Georgia averages 286.7 yards per game on the ground. Jake Fromm will make some plays early, but getting 7, 8, or 9 yards per carry will be too much to keep the Bulldogs from just running, running, running. The Bulldogs roll in this game, a 45-14 type of matchup, and rush for 400 yards. Rudy cries, the leprechaun gets bitten by Uga, and somewhere out there, Lou Holtz is very upset.
Lou is probably slobbering something about Notre Dame pulling the upset.
Lou Holtz is right up there with Howard Cosell as the most obnoxious blowhards on sports TV. “Holtz” is a German word that means “wood”, which describes Holtz’s personality.
I see more sense here than in “The Power Rank” number-crunch baloney.
Since this article includes UF we are not allowed to comment.
Just give me your text and I’ll post it.
I’d guess opposite scenario for Auburn. TAMU up early while our O struggles, but the D keeps us in the game and some magic happens at the end.
AU 24 TAMU 23
My bold prediction is this:
Coley treats the game as his coming-out-party, and instead lets Jake run wild, gifted a long, comfortable pocket by the Great Wall. Fromm breaks 300 yards passing and 4 TDs.
Your prediction makes more sense than 400 yards rushing.
regarding South Carolina @ Missouri:
Missouri will get some yards on the ground and Rountree will want to show up because so many east coast eyes will be on him. But there are problems with just hitching a popular bandwagon to Larry. A) Badie is also getting a lot of yards, B) the most under-reported rushing story of 2019 is the return of Dawson Downing who causes a lot of secondary players to get woosey. Rooster-rousers will say why Missouri if Alabama didn’t get it done? Ans. Odom is more committed to balance and stealth than Saban.
I just don’t see Ryan Walters (Mizzou DC) giving up a lot of points this year. If Hilinski out passes Bryant, does this mean his receivers will facilitate that or SC’s pass defense will cover Missouri’s deep receiving roster?
It’s most likely that this game will be a tremendous boost for the winner and the winner will be decided by who brings the most problems for the opponents to solve. I really don’t know if Dooley and Walters have the edge this year or not, but I can tell you West Virginia was better than they Missouri made the look and Wyoming was a LOT worse than Missouri made them look. SouthEast Missouri State was exactly what Missouri made them look like.
South Carolina 27 to 6. That’s not the score, it’s why South Carolina always wins. It’s the number of 4 stars and above each school has brought in in the last 4 cycles combined. According to the composite. Mizzou is one transfer QB away from being Vandy. West Virginia better than Mizzou made them look? They beat James Madison by 7, and Madison held them to 20…yup, 20…against James Madison. The loss to Wyoming was just the icing on the cake. Can you say paper defense?
Well that post is embarrassing now.
Re SC vs Mizzou
Dave Matter at stltoday dot com sports provides some in-depth perspectives.
Bold predictions… UT shocks the world.
That’s a Bold prediction Joe.
Florida may well win the game, but just remember this is the writer who predicted Trey Smith would not see the field this year.
This guy is high… SC by 3 scores. If they couldn’t stop Wyoming rushing attack we’ll put a 300 yards rushing day on them. Better in every aspect of the game. I’ve got a lot of respect for Roundtree but he’s not putting up 150 on the Gamecocks
I would take that bet. When was the last time SC ran for 300 yards?
2 weeks ago.
Yeah, I forgot about that high school team. I think Furman put that many up against CSU too.
When shooting from the hip, you should carry something better than a water pistol.
Well that did not age well.
SC by 3 scores, What happened?
As if your team would ever hang with us in Willy B Ha our offense did all but hand you the game.
If he was high, what were you with this completely off base prediction?
Actually it’s exactly what would have happened if Muschamp wasn’t a moron putting an injured Fr QB in instead of a healthy Dakereon
Bold as milk toast per usual
Seriously do SDS authors actually do any research? Obviously they haven’t watched or researched Cal. Cal’s offense is REALLY bad. They rank 116th in the country and their OL is very bad.
There is a good reason why OM is the favorite.
RE: the REBELS
They are currently the fifth-most-popular bet (per oddschecker dot com) to win the SEC championship, at 100:1.
I think a lotto ticket is a much better 1-dollar gamble.
Looking ahead, this from a fresh story about NCAA allegations of “Level 1 violations” published at stltoday dot com sports. The headliner is Kansas basketball, but the story finishes with this:
“ESPN recently reported that NCAA investigators were also working on cases at Arizona, Auburn, Creighton, Louisville, LSU and USC.”
The actual quote from the ESPN article says “actively investigating”. It simply says a source told them this. We will have to see what comes of it.
Ahh yes, it’s Caturday.
So Mizzou is going to have a rusher go for TWICE the amount of yards as Bama had as a team. Losing to Mizzou is like losing to Vandy or Kentucky not acceptable.
The chickens have accepted losing to UK for quite awhile now.
If that’s your standard, fine. Remind me, when was the last time the cocks, cats, or vandy sat on top of the SEC East twice in a row? Mizzou has their struggles, but they’re certainly not a lesser program that freakin’ south carolina. If you believe otherwise you’re a fool.
Missouri has won the East twice and Kentucky finished second in the East last season. And all that has happened since the last time SC was relevant.
Rudy was offside